![Image](http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/news/20130618/photo/0618-00176-017h1.jpg)
![Image](http://www.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_404h/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2013/06/17/National-Security/Images/Hong_Kong_US_Government_Surveillance_0cefc-1164.jpg)
The Empire has a bloody nose.
The Empire doesn't like that.
Ibrahim wrote:.
The ability of the US to bring pressure to bear on an SAR in China, let alone China as whole, is basically non-existent. Ditto Russia where Snowden is now (?). But Hong Kong is increasingly interested in asserting its own distinct identity vs. the mainland and Beijing, and part of that identity is their concept of a modern free society. The issue gave them an opportunity to demonstrate that.
I suspect that they felt Beijing would have eventually forced a deal with the US (in return for some other concession) and Hong Kong wanted to speed him on his way and thumb the US in the eye while it did so. Did you see their press release on the issue? Hilarious.
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